A U.S marine patrols in the Garmsir district of Helmand province July 3, 2009. Thousands of U.S. Marines stormed deep into Taliban territory in an Afghan valley on Thursday, marking the start of a major new effort by the Obama administration to regain the initiative in the war. Only scattered clashes were reported on Friday as the Marines fanned out through towns and mud-brick villages in the Helmand River valley, a crescent of opium poppy and wheat fields criss-crossed by canals. Reuters Pictures 5 months ago

A U.S marine patrols in the Garmsir district of Helmand province July 3, 2009. Thousands of U.S. Marines stormed deep into Taliban territory in an Afghan valley on Thursday, marking the start of a major new effort by the Obama administration to regain the initiative in the war. Only scattered clashes were reported on Friday as the Marines fanned out through towns and mud-brick villages in the Helmand River valley, a crescent of opium poppy and wheat fields criss-crossed by canals.

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  1. Indonesian activists wear masks featuring US President Barrack Obama (L), Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (2nd L), President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso(2nd R) and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd during a protest against biodiversity offset programs, in Jakarta on November 18, 2009. Scores of environment activists held a protest against the program of biodiversity offset as they believed that biodiversity offsets are conservation activities intended to compensate for the residual, unavoidable harm to biodiversity caused by development projects, and is not the real solution and will ruin ecological dignity of developing countries.
  2. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: In this photo illustration, a copy of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' sits on end on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  3. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes (R) and Matt Cross (L) open boxes of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' as other books sit on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  4. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Matt Cross (R) puts copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  5. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes (R) and Matt Cross (L) put copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  6. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes (R) and Matt Cross (L) put copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  7. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Kathrina Norris (L) and Matt Cross (R) put copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  8. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes (R) and Matt Cross (L) put copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  9. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes (R) and Matt Cross (L) put copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  10. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Kathrina Norris (L) and Jason Holt (R) prepare a display for copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' sit in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  11. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Matt Cross lifts a display of copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' with a forklift in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  12. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes puts copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  13. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes puts copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  14. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Matt Cross opens boxes of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' as other books sit on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  15. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' sit on a pallet in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800 and 900 copies of the book which goes on sale tomorrow.
  16. SINGAPORE - NOVEMBER 14: U.S ambassador Ron Kirk accompainied by Chong Sick Ching, Chairman of the CEO Summit, arrives on the second day of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre on November 14, 2009 in Singapore, Ron Kirk will be delivering the keynote address on behalf of President Barak Obama. APEC 2009 brings over 800 of the world's top business leaders and 15 world leaders to Singapore, with the two-day Summit addressing the economic crisis and key global issues.

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  2. NEW ORLEANS - NOVEMBER 30: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots reacts after Laurence Maroney #39 scored a 4-yard rushing touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the New Orleans Saints at Louisana Superdome on November 30, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  3. NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 30: Actress Natalie Portman poses backstage at IFP's 19th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards at Cipriani, Wall Street on November 30, 2009 in New York City.
  4. NEW ORLEANS - NOVEMBER 30: Laurence Maroney #39 of the New England Patriots scores a 4-yard rushing touchdown during the first quarter of the game against Darren Sharper #42 of the New Orleans Saints at Louisana Superdome on November 30, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  5. A supporter of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya waves a flag of Zelaya's Liberal Party outside the Brazilian embassy where Zelaya has been holed up in Tegucigalpa November 30, 2009. Opposition candidate Porfirio Lobo was elected president of Honduras but Zelaya says the elections are invalid because they will give legitimacy to de facto leader Roberto Micheletti's post-coup administration and Latin American leaders were split on Monday over whether to recognise the election.
  6. Prostitutes wrapped in sheets wait in line to take a test for HIV/AIDS during an awareness campaign ahead of World AIDS day at the Trocadero brothel in Lima's port of Callao November 30, 2009. On that day, about 400 prostitutes from the Trocadero brothel gave blood samples during an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign promoted by the government. Prostitution is legal in Peru provided the prostitute has government health certification.
  7. A prostitute wrapped in a sheet sits outside the rooms of Trocadero brothel during an awareness campaign ahead of World AIDS day in Lima's port of Callao November 30, 2009. On that day, about 400 prostitutes from the Trocadero brothel gave blood samples during an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign promoted by the government. Prostitution is legal in Peru provided the prostitute has government health certification.
  8. A prostitute wrapped in a sheet waits for a test for HIV/AIDS during an awareness campaign ahead of World AIDS day at the Trocadero brothel in Lima's port of Callao November 30, 2009. On that day, about 400 prostitutes from the Trocadero brothel gave blood samples during an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign promoted by the government. Prostitution is legal in Peru provided the prostitute has government health certification.
  9. NEW ORLEANS - NOVEMBER 30: Pierre Thomas #23 of the New Orleans Saints runs with the ball in the first quarter against the New England Patriots at Louisana Superdome on November 30, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  10. NEW ORLEANS - NOVEMBER 30: Pierre Thomas #23 of the New Orleans Saints runs with the ball in the first quarter against the New England Patriots at Louisana Superdome on November 30, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  11. Acrobats Luke Taylor left, Paul O'Keeffe, center and Jeremy Davies perform during a media call ahead of the Sydney Festival which will begin in January 2010 in Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009.
  12. Acrobats Luke Taylor, left, Paul O'Keeffe, center and Jeremy Davies perform during a media call ahead of the Sydney Festival which will begin in January 2010, in Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009.
  13. Acrobats Luke Taylor, left, Paul O'Keeffe, center, and Jeremy Davies perform during a media call ahead of the Sydney Festival which will begin in January 2010, in Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009.
  14. Acrobats Luke Taylor left, Paul O'Keeffe, center, Jeremy Davies, second from right, and Eli Green perform during a media call ahead of the Sydney Festival which will begin in January 2010 in Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009.
  15. Mexican author Jose Emilio Pacheco listens during an act to honor him at the International Book Fair in Guadalajara, Mexico, Monday, Nov. 30, 2009. Pacheco, 70, has won the Spanish-speaking world's highest literary honor, the Cervantes Prize, awarded by Spain's Ministry of Culture.
  16. U.S. author Matthew Pearl poses for a photo during the International Book Fair in Guadalajara, Mexico, Monday, Nov. 30, 2009. Pearl will be presenting his new book "The Last Dickens" at the fair.